Talent, Compensation & Career Architecture
Hiring the literal best person on Earth and paying them like owners
Chapter Highlights
Elite Talent Only
No compromise hiring from top universities, military, FAANG
Top-of-Market Comp
$180K-600K base + $200K-5M equity over 4 years
Clear Career Paths
5 levels from entry FDE/DS to Principal with defined progression
9.1Hiring Philosophy
"The Literal Best Person on Earth"
Every hire should be the absolute best person globally for that specific role. This means:
- ✓ Exhaustive global search
- ✓ No compromise on quality
- ✓ Pay whatever it takes
- ✓ Wait for the right person
Talent Sourcing Strategy
Universities
- • MIT, Stanford, CMU, Harvard
- • CS, Math, Physics programs
- • Dual degrees (CS + Business)
- • Graduate research
Military
- • Special Operations Forces
- • Intelligence Community
- • Cyber Command
- • Nuclear Navy
Industry
- • Top tech (FAANG+)
- • Elite consultancies (MBB)
- • Unicorn startups
- • Domain experts
Interview Process (5 Stages)
Stage 1: Resume Screen
Top 5% of applicants advance • Focus on exceptional achievements
Stage 2: Technical Screen
Live coding • System design • Domain expertise evaluation
Stage 3: On-site Loop (5-7 interviews)
Technical deep-dive (2x) • Cultural fit • Mission alignment • Customer simulation
Stage 4: Reference Deep-Dive
5+ references • 360-degree feedback • Performance verification
Stage 5: Final Decision
Hiring committee • Unanimous vote required • Compensation negotiation
9.2Compensation Model
Base Salary Ranges
Forward Deployed Engineer
Deployment Strategist
Equity Compensation
Initial Grants (4-year vest)
Annual Refresh Grants
25% cliff at 1 year • Monthly vesting • Acceleration on M&A
Performance Multipliers
Bonus Structure
Target Bonus
20-50%
of base salary
Maximum Bonus
200%
of target
Split
40% / 30% / 30%
Indiv / Team / Company
9.3Career Paths & Training
Forward Deployed Engineer Path
0-2 years
Individual contributor • Single customer focus • Mentored by senior FDE
2-5 years
Lead small deployments • Multi-customer exposure • Mentor junior FDEs
5-8 years
Lead complex deployments • Technical architecture ownership • Cross-pod coordination
8-12 years
Regional technical leadership • Platform contribution • Strategic customer relationships
12+ years
Global technical authority • Platform architecture influence • Executive customer engagement
4-Week Onboarding Program
Week 1
Foundation
- • Mission & values
- • Platform overview
- • Security training
Week 2
Product Deep-Dive
- • Platform training
- • Build ontologies
- • Create apps
Week 3
Customer Simulation
- • Mock engagement
- • Problem-solving
- • Presentation skills
Week 4
Field Assignment
- • Shadow team
- • Real deployment
- • Learning plan
Summary: Talent Model Essentials
"Literal best person on Earth" philosophy: Elite talent from top universities, military, FAANG
Top-of-market compensation: $180K-600K base + $200K-5M equity grants over 4 years
5-level career progression: FDE I → II → Senior → Lead → Principal (12+ years to top)
4-week onboarding: Foundation → Product → Simulation → Field Assignment
Performance bonuses: 20-50% target with 200% max (40% individual, 30% team, 30% company)
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